AIM:To assess the effect of Ramadan fasting on body weight and food consumption in type 2 diabetic obese women.MATERIALS AND METHODS:A total of 276 outpatient women receiving oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) (BMI = 34.63 ± 3.29 kg/m2), aged 49 (±6 years), were selected. The study was carried out over three periods - before (T1: prefasting), during (T2: fasting), and after (T3: postfasting) Ramadan - in three towns located in the northwestern region of Algeria. During the course of 3 days, the daily food intake and anthropometric parameters weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, body mass index (BMI), and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were recorded. A one-way repeated measures ANOVA test was used to compare the groups.RESULTS:The main effect of fasting during Ramadan was a significant weight loss (−3.12 kg i.e. 3.70%; P < 0.01), a decrease in meal frequency (2.2 ± 0.3 vs. 4.3 ± 0.4) as well as in energy intake (1488 ± 118 vs.1823 ± 262 Kcal/d) and an important increase in dietary fat consumption (35.84 vs. 25.36%), especially the saturated one (231Kca/d i.e. 43.25%) of total fat, dietary cholesterol (392 ± 121 vs. 221 ± 73 mg/d), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Except in three cases, there were no frequent hypoglycaemic episodes observed among the participants.CONCLUSIONS:Fasting during the month of Ramadan causes weight loss and decrease in calorie intake, which is correlated with a decrease in meal frequency. However, more foods rich in fat and dietary cholesterol were consumed during this period. The latter could constitute a high risk for diabetics who are fasting, in particular when medication advice and/or health care control are insufficient or ignored.

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Background and aims: We investigated the association of dietary intake, particularly fat and its constituent fatty acids, with atherogenic indices in adult patients with overweight, obesity and/or type 2 diabetes (T2D). Material and Methods: Two hundred eighty-five outpatients were selected in two cities located in the Northwestern region of Algeria. Anthropometric measurements for body weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were performed. Relationships between dietary intakes, estimated by a 3- days food record, and fasting blood atherogenic indices - total cholesterol-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TC/HDL-c) and apolipoprotein (apo) B-to-apo A1 ratio, were analysed. Results: Study group included 58.59% overweight/obese T2D patients, 24.91% normal weight T2D patients and 16.49 % overweight/obese patients without diabetes. Higher dietary consumption (p= 0.003) of total fat, saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), was recorded in the group of overweight/obese T2D patients. Significant positive correlations were observed between apo B/apo A1 and total fat (p= 0.035), total SFAs (p= 0.042) and palmitic acid (p= 0.042) in the group of overweight/obese T2D patients and with ω6 fatty acid (p= 0.030) in the group of overweight/obese patients without diabetes. In the two groups of T2D patients, whether normal weight, overweight/obese, numerous positive correlations with TC/HDL-c were disclosed for PUFAs, ω6 and fatty acids ratios, namely, ω6/ω3, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA)/SFAs and (MUFAs+PUFAs)/SFAs. Conclusion: Most adults, whom are either affected by an excess weight or T2D or both together, are prone to cardiovascular risk. Dietary intakes, particularly in fat and its constituent fatty acids, have an important effect on blood lipid atherogenic indices (TC/HDL-c and apo B/apo A1 ratios).

The immune system is involved in the protection of host against environmental agents such as pathogenic micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi, and viruses) and chemicals, thereby preserving the integrity of the body. To preserve organism defense mechanisms, adequate nutritional status should be maintained with appropriate intakes of calories, vitamins, minerals and water that should be continuously provided by a healthy diet. The emergence of new infectious diseases with new pathogenic properties constitutes a serious health issue worldwide. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) represents one of the most recent emerging infectious diseases, caused by a novel coronavirus member called (SARS-CoV-2), identified in Wuhan, Hubei, China in December 2019, and recognized as pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). The nutritional status of each COVID-19-infected patient should be assessed prior undertaking treatments. Nutritional support should be the basis of management of any infected individual. However, prevention measures remain the first priority and strategy to develop throughout proper hygiene, healthy diet and staying home. Keywords: Nutrition, Immune system, Viral diseases, SARS-CoV-2.

Background and aims: We designed this study to assess the effect of Ramadan fasting on serum lipid profile among type 2 diabetic patients. Material and Methods: The study was carried out in July 2014 (Ramadan 1421). The total duration of fasting was 17 hours a day. The investigation involved 80 patients. The mean age of the patients was 56± 8 years. The dietary survey lasting three days was recorded. The anthropometric and the biochemical parameters were measured in all subjects before (T1) and during (T2) the fasting month of Ramadan and results were compared using student t-test. Results: There was a significant decrease in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) levels during T2 (0.35±0,08 g/L) compared to T1 (0.38±0,11 g/L). Apolipoprotein A1 (Apo A1) decreased significantly during fasting compared to pre-fasting days while apo B increased during T2 (p˂0.05). The dietary fat consumption increased during Ramadan; especially for the saturated one (p<0.05). Conclusion: The present study suggests that fasting month of Ramadan could be beneficial for some patients with type 2 diabetes who are well controlled and balanced. However, some of them may be at risk of cardiovascular complications in which dyslipidemia can be the leading cause.

According to our results, cholecystectomy could possibly be a risk factor for pancreatic cancer in Algerian population.

Background and objectiveThe incidence of diabetes co-morbidities could probably be better assessed by studying its associations with major corpulence parameters and glycaemic control indicators. We assessed the utility of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in metabolic control for type 2 diabetic patients.MethodsFasting and postprandial blood samples were collected from 238 type 2 diabetic patients aged 57.4±11.9 years. The sera were analysed for glucose, HbA1c, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), and apolipoproteins (apoA-I and apoB). Ratios of lipids and apolipoproteins were calculated and their associations with BMI, WC, and HbA1c levels were analysed.ResultsOur investigation showed increases in most fasting and postprandial lipid parameters according to BMI and WC. In men, postprandial HDL-c and TG levels were significantly higher (p<0.05) in overweight and obese patients, respectively, as well as in patients with abdominal obesity. Contrariwise, postprandial TC levels were significantly higher (p<0.01) in overweight and abdominal obese women. However, elevations of apoA-I and apoB levels were according to BMI and WC in both genders. There was a strong influence of BMI, WC, and HbA1c levels on the apoB/apoA-I ratio compared to traditional fasting and postprandial lipid ratios in both men and women. The apoB/apoA-I ratio was more correlated with postprandial TC/HDL and LDL-c/HDL-c ratios in men and with postprandial TG/HDL-c in women.ConclusionThe apoB/apoA-I ratio is helpful in assessing metabolic risk caused by overall obesity, abdominal obesity and impaired glycaemia in type 2 diabetic patients.

A thematic narrative synthesis was conducted to identify literature exploring the Mediterranean Diet (MDiet) and its impact on the environment in terms of land and water use, Greenhouse Gas emissions, fossil fuels, affordability, and acceptability. The MDiet is a sustainable diet that can reduce some environmental impacts of food production while improving both the health of the population and world, diet acceptability, cost, cultural and socio-economic factors should be considered when determining appropriateness of a recommended dietary pattern to a regional or global population.